The Science Behind Heartbreak and Why It Hurts
Heartbreak is a common occurrence that has happened to or will happen to most individuals at one point in life. It is the sensation of feeling physical, mental and emotional pain after a great loss. Such losses include the end of a relationship (between a lover, friend, or family member), death of a person or pet, great loss and disappointment in life, and rejection (from others, from applications, etc.). The most stereotypical signs of heartbreak often seen on television include constant crying, eating ice cream from the carton, eating anything junk food related, lack of self-care, excessive sleeping, and drinking wine. In reality, these “funny” actions seen on TV are coping mechanisms people commonly refer to in order to promote forms of comfort to replace their distress. To better understand why heartbreak is so difficult, we can easily compare it to drug addiction.
Before the idea of heartbreak and drug addiction are discussed, an overview of the brain should be understood. There are four lobes of the brain that make up the Cerebrum: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal. In addition, neurotransmitters are of importance on this topic. The limbic system is found inside the temporal lobe which houses various small parts of the brain such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala. The amygdala understands emotions and the emotions associated with a specific event. This explains why certain songs can trigger an individual to think of a specific memory associated. The anterior cingulate cortex controls autonomic processes in the body. These are processes that an individual does not need to mentally think about and acknowledge in order for the process to go on. An example is the heart beating. The insular cortex is part of the cerebral cortex that is in between the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe. The purpose of this part of the brain includes feelings of empathy, understanding of past experiences, and awareness of the self. When a person is heartbroken, the same parts of the brain that process physical pain will also be put into work. That is where the limbic system and the insular cortex come into play.
Aside from parts of the brain that are of importance in times of heartbreak, neurotransmitters also play a role. Examples of them include norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine, and acetylcholine. During times of happiness, serotonin levels rise, giving the individual feelings of happy emotions and excitement. During times of success and accomplishments, dopamine levels rise, giving the individual emotions of reward. When a person is in a loving and equally balanced relationship (be it with a friend, love, or family member), the person is in a constant state of reward and happiness. Being with the individual will spark high levels of the feel good dopamine and serotonin to be released. In addition, hormones such as oxytocin come into play. Similarly, when a cocaine addict takes in the drug, exceptionally high levels of serotonin are released in the body, making the individual feel a specific high. Over time, the addict will become dependent on the drug to feel happiness. When the drug addict undergoes rehabilitation, he or she will undergo bouts of anxiety, sadness and depression, anger, and most importantly, withdrawal. These are the same signs and symptoms of a heartbreak.
Many times, drug addicts may utilize other “legal” or lower classed drugs such as marijuana, cigarettes, and alcohol to cope with their symptoms. They may also over consume food. Heartbroken people also easily try to find coping mechanisms to fill in the missing source of their happiness. This includes serially dating new people, trying very hard to find a new group of friends, using substances, over eating, and heavily focusing on work. Having a specific bond with someone is very similar to being addicted to a drug as seen. Similarly to how many drug addicts find it extremely physically difficult to quit their uses of substances, heartbroken people are also in vulnerable positions when it comes to letting go of what fueled their serotonin and dopamine levels. The brain receives signals at the very same positions in the brain that process pain. In addition the body undergoes bouts of withdrawal due to the sudden disappearance of whatever has caused the heartbreak. This is similar to drug addicts as they undergo withdrawal due to the lack of their stimulant.
Heartbreak affects the body in various negative ways. Psychologically speaking, it can bring personal growth but can also promote depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. In addition, the body can develop a weakened immune system due to high anxiety and stress levels, insomnia, lack of appetite, angina, and cardiac symptoms such as palpitations and irregular blood pressures. While heartbreak may seem like a silly thing seen on television, it is very much real. Anything can induce heartbreak including a loss of a relationship with someone, loss of a job, loss of someone or something close, regret, and disappointment. The easiest way to understand heartbreak is by comparing it to the symptoms of someone who is addicted to a drug as the symptoms and resulting behaviors of loss are very similar.
References:
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/science-behind-a-broken-heart
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/this_is_your_brain_on_heartbreak
